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“I don’t need protection I create ht tick under Leonid’s smooth cheek because I pointed out the truth “I like where I’” The shit h, the fact that he’d killed Sasha, h in order to reach the surface, wasn’t anything I’d ever do again

I got to a point in my life where I didn’t have to work for anyone anylomerate of other businesses I could choose from My reputation and skill preceded me, and because of that, I didn’t have to be tied down to one side I could accept or turn down anything I wanted I wouldn’t get that with Leonid He’d expect complete obedience and sub

And as I said those words, I could see on Leonid’s face that the pleasant facade he’d put on was slipping The sound of“Na zdorovie” before they drank filled the sudden silence It did nothing for the tension that was noeen Leonid and me

And then his stoic expression cracked, and he sive up on trying to bring me on to his side fully Because ahis way in all things And if that et it, he was bastard enough to do it

Several women came out from the back, black trays in their hands, each one topped with drinks I didn’t spare thee in the air But then everything aroundout a black hair piled high on her head, the elegant line of her neck and delicate length of her spine in full view

Every htened to the point it was uncomfortable and hard to hide This was the last place I’d ever expect to see Lina, the last place I’d ever want her to be And when Leonid turned his attention to see what I was looking at, I knew I’d leam entered his eyes as he noticed Lina and then slowly looked back at me

“Gorgeous, isn’t she?” he murmured in Russian, and the way he said those words toldher with his eyes

I curled one ofwith the need to draweyes, deht to look at Lina, not when I knew all the depraved shit he was into, not when I also knew he dealt with hu

“Do you know her?” The tone of his voice told me he already knew the answer to that I didn't bother responding “She’s got this innocence about her, one that just s…” Hesons chuckled

If I’d wanted to, I could’ve drawn my weapon and shot all three of them before any of the other people in this room could have stopped ht afterward, but at least Leonid and his little bastard sons would be in the ground with me

He turned to look at rin on his face I hated that he’d seen any kind of reaction in e They’d see it as a weakness And I couldn’t lie and say he rong

Lina was a weakness, an addiction, and I hadn’t even sahts leave my head, and she didn’t even have to be in the same room to succeed

Everything else faded away as I watched Lina start handing out drinks I could feel Leonid’s gaze on , as if he’d just found a chink in my carefully placed armor

She hadn’t noticed me yet as she walked around Theher s that

She set a drink beside an old fuck, his snored the half-naked woh to his mouth he could have licked the added to the mix, and when she took it with a soft s out like he planned on pal her ass